Walking Tour

Callowhill & Rail Park Tour: From Tracks to Treasure

Name: Callowhill & Rail Park Tour: From Tracks to Treasure
Start: 2022-09-10T14:00:00-0400
End: 2022-09-10T15:45:00-0400
Location: B. PHL Courtyard

Community & Civics

Tourism & Hospitality

The Callowhill area experienced a dramatic change over the past 10 to 15 years. Abandoned or underused industrial sites have been revitalized into a thriving community of creatives centered around the new Rail Park. This tour will explore how the Reading Railroad’s 19th-and-20th-century infrastructure has been transformed into a 21st-century park and incubator space for innovators. The tour begins with an orientation from the rooftop at 990 Spring Garden. En route to our tour of the Rail Park you’ll learn about a variety of former industrial properties repurposed for commercial, industrial, and mixed-use.

Speaker Information

Darren Fava

Darren Fava hails from central Connecticut. He studied historic preservation in R.I before moving to Philadelphia to pursue a Master’s degree in City Planning at Penn. He began his career working on public space, streetscape, and wayfinding projects at the Center City District. In 2007 he joined the staff at Philadelphia Parks & Rec where he’s enjoyed working on wayfinding and park improvement projects, and coordinating marketing and events at the Fairmount Park historic houses. He currently serves as web content manager for the communications team. Darren is an avid cyclist, a volunteer guide with the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia architectural tour program, and is active on the boards of civic and development organizations in South Philly. He’s most happy traveling, showing off his adopted hometown, or working in his community garden—built on fertile ground atop a former cemetery.